Students

WEEK 1: REGIONAL CONTEXT

The first week of the Summer Program focused on inventory, analysis, and initial visioning for the Central Corridor. Working as pairs, the students examined the area’s natural and man-made systems to understand the dynamic forces that shape the Central Corridor and surrounding areas. Building off of the city’s planning department analysis, students studied systems including historic, cultural, transportation, infrastructure, public space typologies, urban grid, building massing, street typologies, and projected design potentials based on the findings.
The first week of the Summer Program focused on inventory, analysis, and initial visioning for the Central Corridor. Working as pairs, the students examined the area’s natural and man-made systems to understand the dynamic forces that shape the Central Corridor and surrounding areas. Building off of the city’s planning department analysis, students studied systems including historic, cultural, transportation, infrastructure, public space typologies, urban grid, building massing, street typologies, and projected design potentials based on the findings.

WEEK 2: URBAN DESIGN - INFRASTRUCTURE AS CONNECTOR

Jessica’s proposal creates nodes at subway stops, and uses them as generators of activity through new programming, public space, and development. The three new subway stops have a distinct character, relating to both the existing context and proposed development.
Jessica’s proposal creates nodes at subway stops, and uses them as generators of activity through new programming, public space, and development. The three new subway stops have a distinct character, relating to both the existing context and proposed development.

WEEK 03 : SITE DESIGN - STITCHING+CONNECTING

Taken from week two’s work, Jessica focused on the public realm “weave” under the highway, which aims to stitch together the northern and southern parts of the site through landscape interventions, energy production, water harvesting, and community-oriented programming. She saw it as a vitally important part of the initial framework, where it connects to her 4th street pedestrian and transportation spine, and introduces public programming and open space to the district.
Taken from week two’s work, Jessica focused on the public realm “weave” under the highway, which aims to stitch together the northern and southern parts of the site through landscape interventions, energy production, water harvesting, and community-oriented programming. She saw it as a vitally important part of the initial framework, where it connects to her 4th street pedestrian and transportation spine, and introduces public programming and open space to the district.

WEEK 04 : OBJECT DESIGN - LIGHTWALL

This week, Jessica wanted to design something that facilitates crossing the highway at 4th Street, and can start to divide space and suggest ways of movement. The intervention also had to be large enough to stand up to the scale of the highway and neighborhood, having its own presence in space. Responding to earlier design work, the wall becomes a display for energy produced by the highway and distributed throughout the district. Incorporating lighting, wayfinding, and branding, LIGHTwall can become part of the identity of the Central Corridor.
This week, Jessica wanted to design something that facilitates crossing the highway at 4th Street, and can start to divide space and suggest ways of movement. The intervention also had to be large enough to stand up to the scale of the highway and neighborhood, having its own presence in space. Responding to earlier design work, the wall becomes a display for energy produced by the highway and distributed throughout the district. Incorporating lighting, wayfinding, and branding, LIGHTwall can become part of the identity of the Central Corridor.

Jessica Rossi-Mastracci

“I am currently pursuing a Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to that, I received my Bachelor of Arts in Architecture at Washington University in St. Louis.

I hope to merge my urban, landscape and architectural interests to design public spaces that are productive, flexible, adaptive, and unique. Through my work, I tend to gravitate towards infrastructural, remnant, and other weird landscapes, where new opportunities, adjacencies, and qualities can be engaged as urban landscape organizations.

Outside of design, I enjoy painting, traveling, and biking, and look forward to discovering new places.”